PRICE: 50P - Shirenewton Church



Price: 50p March 2006

The Church of St Thomas a Becket

Shirenewton

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Parishes of Shirenewton and Newchurch

Magazine

Incumbent: The Revd Hugh Trenchard 424984

Curate The Revd Nansi Davies 01633 400519

Church Wardens: Alan Saysell 641369

Sally Saysell 641369

Mrs Kath Whittington – Newchurch 641600

Mrs Susan Lenthall – Newchurch 626389

PCC Secretaries: Andrew Baker - Shirenewton 641925

David Heritage - Newchurch 641549

PCC Treasurers: Kevin Bounds - Shirenewton 641818

Enid Heritage - Newchurch 641549

Gift Aid Secretary Ruth Savagar 629890

Church Maintenance

& Safety Officer John Nicholas 641368

Organists: Karen Millar 650521

Ruth Savagar 641411

Kath Wittington 641600

Sunday School: Jane Smith-Haddon 641525

Tower Captain: Mike Penny 650653

Mothers Union: Auriol Horton 641844

Child Protection Officer: John Waters 641449

Church Flowers: Maureen Moody 641524

Parish Magazine: Bob O’Keefe 641686

200 Club Pauline Dutton 641677

Names to Note

Community Council .John Eede (Chairman) 641257

WI: Sally Saysell 641369

Scouts: Dave Richardson 620356

Guides: Helen Cann 650835

Brownies: Jackie Broughton 641797

Cubs: Diana Such 650638

Beavers: Gill Norris 622703

Police Contact: P.C. Andrew Mason 01633 838111

Rec. booking secretary: Beryl Saysell 641637

Traidcraft: Marion McAdam 641316

March 2006.

Dear Parishioners,

Lent arrives on March 1st and this year we are trying to interest as many people as possible in taking part in the Bishop’s six week course “Safe Evangelism”. This might at first reading be off-putting, either because some might question whether Evangelism can ever be safe, or because others feel that they are to be indoctrinated into doing and saying things that alarm them or about which they feel they would never have the courage or the knowledge to express.

Let me Mark Stibble, Monarch Books. So often when Christians speak we can fall into the trap of speaking a different language to everybody else.

reassure you with the following from “A Barrel of Fun” by J John and “During the “children’s sermon”, the vicar was talking about communion and what it is all about. “The bible talks of Holy Communion as being a “joyful feast”. What does that mean? Well “joyful” means “happy”, right? And a “feast” is a “meal”. So a “joyful feast” is a “happy meal”. He paused. And what are the three things we need for a “happy meal?” A little boy put up his hand and said, “Hamburger, fries and a regular soft drink?”

How easy it is to think we are making sense when we are not really engaging with others. In a similar way:

“An exasperated mother, whose son was always getting into mischief, finally asked him, “How do you expect to get to Heaven?”

The boy thought it over and said, “Well I’ll just run in and out and keep slamming the door until St Peter says, ”For Heavens sake, Jimmy, come in or stay out!”

And finally:

“A Divinity School invited one of the greatest minds to lecture in the theological education centre. One year, the guest lecturer was a professor who spoke for two and a half hours “proving” that the resurrection of Jesus was false.

The professor quoted scholar after scholar and book after book. He concluded that since there was no such thing as the historical resurrection, the religious tradition of the Church was groundless, emotional mumbo-jumbo, because it was based on a relationship with a risen Jesus, who, in fact, never rose from

the dead in any literal sense. He then asked if there were any questions.

After about 30 seconds, an old preacher with a head of woolly white hair stood up in the back of the auditorium.

“Docta Professor, I got one question,” he said as all eyes turned towards him. He reached into his lunch sack and pulled out an apple and began eating it. CRUNCH, MUNCH, “My question is a simple question”…..CRUNCH, MUNCH…

“Now I ain’t never read them books you read” ….CRUNCH, MUNCH.. “and I can’t recite the Scriptures in the original Greek” …CRUNCH, MUNCH…. “I don’t know nothin about Neibuhr and Heidegger” ..CRUNCH, MUNCH… He finished the apple. “All I want to know is: This apple I just ate – was it bitter or sweet?”

The professor paused for a moment and answered in exemplary scholarly fashion: “I can’t possibly answer that question, for I haven’t tasted your apple.”

The white-haired preacher dropped the core of his apple into his crumpled paper bag, looked up at the professor and said calmly, “Neither have you tasted my Jesus.” The 1000 plus in attendance could not contain themselves. The auditorium erupted with applause and cheers. The professor thanked his audience and promptly left the platform.”

The course will run in as many places and at times to suit those who would like to take part. Each group should be no fewer than 4 – 5 people and no larger than 10 – 12. It takes 6 weeks to do the whole course but it really can make a difference to every one. Please see if you can use this Lent as a way of rediscovering what God wants for His Church and His world.

With every good wish.

Hugh Trenchard.

SHIRENEWTON SUNDAY CLUB

Dates for this term

|Date |Time |Venue |

|5th March |09.45 |Sunday Club - The Chantry |

|12th March |09.45 |Sunday Club - The Chantry |

|19th March |09.45 |The Chantry |

|26th March |09.45 |Mothering Sunday |

| | |Family Service – The Church |

|2nd April |09.45 |Sunday Club - The Chantry |

|9th April |09.45 |Sunday Club - The Chantry |

Shirenewton Sunday Club welcomes

all children from 3 years.

Do come and join us.

Jane Smith-Haddon 641 525

Glynis MacDonald 641 818

(Want to join Sunday Club??? Ring Jane Smith Haddon 641525 for more details)

Parish Magazine Subscriptions.

Magazine subscriptions of £5.00 for the ten editions of the 2005 magazine are now due. Would you kindly arrange to pay your regular delivery person.

Our thanks go to; Paul and Anne at the Village Shop and the team of regulars who collect the subscriptions and distribute the magazine.

Shirenewton Church 200 Club

The winners of the February Draw were: -

92 Howard Sheen £40

245 Mrs. J. Boast £30

103 Yvonne Hamer £20

111 Beverley Moore £10

During March we will be collecting subscriptions for the 200 Club for the year April 2006/2007.

The prizes for this year will be : - 1st- £40, 2nd - £30 (not £20 as stated last month), 3rd - £20, and 4th - £10 with extra prizes at Christmas.

Half the money collected is distributed as prize money.

The following will collect the £10 per number subscription: - Barbara Davies, Pauline Dutton, John Nicholas, Peter Jones.

It would be much appreciated and a great help with the collection process if you could give your subscriptions to your normal collector as you see them over the next couple of months, otherwise someone will call on you before the end of March. If you are not a member and would like to join, please call me on 641677 or Barbara on 641553.

 

Thank you as always for your continued support.

Pauline Dutton 

From The Registers

13th February 2006 a funeral service was held for Kenneth Williams

1921 – 2005.

Mrs Pam Cornaby wishes to thank everyone for their kindness and condolences following the passing away of Ken.

Ken thoroughly enjoyed life in the village and will be greatly missed.

Concert in Shirenewton Church

The Award Winning Chepstow Male Voice Choir !

Friday Evening 10th March.

Tickets £6.00

To Raise money for the Church Extension

Please Ring Glynis on 641 818 to book your ticket now!!!

Shirenewton Community Council

Meeting held on 6th February 2006

Seven members of the Council were joined by PC Andy Mason and one member of the public.

Police Report

PC Mason warned all to be aware of an increasing number of bogus callers operating in the area. He particularly specified callers leaving leaflets on behalf of mythical charities who then call back at a later date to collect money. Another group in the area are offering to tarmac driveways though reports suggest that customers do not always get what they have paid for.

PC Mason also warned of increasing numbers of opportunist crimes. Keep valuable items out of sight, lock your vehicles and garden sheds, don’t make things easy for thieves.

He specifically asks members of the public to be on the lookout for a “souped up” Vauxhall Nova motor car that has been seen near a number of incidents in the area. Tell the police if you see the vehicle.

He also told us there have been reports of badger killing in the area, which of course is illegal, and scrambler motor bikes in Wentwood, which may or may not be illegal.

Matters Arising from the minutes of the previous meeting

ST460949. This parcel of land on the Top Road in Earlswood is likely to be the subject of a Planning Application in the near future.

The Memorial Monument in Shirenewton. A quote of £47 has been received for the cleaning of the stonework. A further quote which would include the re-etching of the detail is being sought.

The Mynyddbach Allotment Site. It is estimated it would cost about £1500 to tidy up the area. The Community Council would like to hear from any local residents that would be interested in having one of the allotments should they become available.

The Village Plan. The final draft of the proposed questionnaire is now almost ready.

The Llanmelyn Hill Fort area. Following the site meeting of 10th. January it would seem that CADW is prepared to buy the area from the MOD and create a more appropriate access route to the Hill Fort. A joint management team, which would include representatives of both Shirenewton and Caerwent Community Councils, would then be set up to oversee maintenance of the area.

Planning Matters

The developers of the Golf Club have applied for permission to build an additional two garages on the site. Members recommended rejection of the application suggesting no further changes be made to the original approved plan.

An application for the erection of a new outbuilding and the relocation of the existing stables at Pentwyn Bach, Newchurch was recommended for approval.

Revised applications for developments at Oslo, Mynyddbach and at Penyrheol Farm, Penycaemawr were received for consideration. Members decided to defer any decision regarding these applications until the next Council meeting.

No decisions relating to previous applications had been received from the County Planning Department.

The High Court has supported the County Planning Department decision to reject the proposed development on land adjacent to Hill View Cottage, Shirenewton.

Matters of Local Concern

No matters were raised or considered by members.

The meeting closed at 10:15 pm.

The date of the next meeting was set as Monday 6th. March 2006.

Peter Jones

Clerk to Shirenewton Community Council Retires

Mr Bob Phelps who has served as the Clerk to Shirenewton Community Council for twenty four years retired in January. I am sure everyone will wish him a happy retirement when he will have more time to pursue his many interests. His experience will be missed by his colleagues.

The new Clerk is Mrs Carole Jones. Carole has lived in Shirenewton for ten years. You may contact her on 641791, or any of your Councillors if you have any concerns of local interest.

MOTHERS’ UNION (SMU)

Our meetings resume on the 8th March at 2.30 p.m. in Church when our speaker will be The Revd. Major Stephen Lodwick. Visitors are always welcome so do join us.

Auriol Horton, Branch Leader.

Lost

A gold bracelet has been lost in the village, on a walk around Mynydd Bach and Shirenewton, if found please contact Caroline on 01291 641331.

Shirenewton and Mynydd Bach Neighbourhood Watch

The Group met on 26th January and was pleased to report a positive response from the residents of Shirenewton and Mynydd Bach to the resurrection of Neighbourhood Watch within our community. To ensure that both villages are fully covered, more volunteers are still required for Mynydd Bach.

If anyone has the time or interest to be part of this worthwhile local activity, we would be pleased to hear from you. Please contact Paul (at the Shop) or Beverley Moore tel 641532 if you require more information

Next meeting for Shirenewton Local Neighbourhood Watch 7.30 p.m. on Monday 20th March at the Huntsman Hotel.

Shirenewton W.I.

16th February 2006

The President informed members that the Gwent Federation Headquarters would be moving from its present location in Usk, to Cwmbran.

Barbara Ourbridge reported on her involvement with the ‘Gardening with Schools’ project. She has been asked to help at Shirenewton School who already have ambitious plans for their outdoor areas. Barbara will be attending a course at Raglan in preparation for the project.

The speaker for the evening was Kevin Bounds, who told us about the time he spent in Pittsburg University. Kevin explained that when he finished University he had the opportunity to go abroad to study for an MBA, with a scholarship from the Rotary Club. Members enjoyed hearing some interesting recollections of the people and places he encountered.

The competition for an American Souvenir was won by Cherry Smallcombe. During the evening members were able to ‘bring and buy’ books. This event is proving popular, as ‘buyers’ are able to quiz ‘bringers’ on books they have read and recommend.

Gaerllwyd Women’s Meetings: – at Gaerllwyd Baptist Chapel

On the 1st March there will be a rehearsal for the “Women’s World Day of Prayer.

Friday 3rd March a service as part of the “Women’s World Day of Prayer will be held in St. Thomas a Becket Church Shirenewton.

There will be our regular meeting on 14th March at Gaerllwyd Baptist Chapel.

Fair Trade News

Many of you (I hope!) now buy fairly traded goods from your supermarket.  True, the range of goods is growing - though I notice Somerfield no longer seems to stock fairly traded orange juice- but none of the larger shops offer the range of goods stocked by Traidcraft :rice (white and brown), pasta (fuseli and penne), muesli (3 varieties), sugar (caster, raw cane, demerara, muscovado), biscuits (choc chip, brazil nut, ginger), tea (bags, leaf tea, decaf, green), dried apricots/mango/pineapple, brazil nuts, chocolate (almond white, honey, milk, orange, cappuccino, praline, rico bars, plain -70% cocoa) - well I could go on! (and often do)

The point is: Have a look at the catalogues or Traidcraft's website traidcraft.co.uk .

This is a New Year's Resolution worth keeping!

Contact me for info or a catalogue 641 316 or msm316@  

A note from the Editor

Should you have any articles or items that are of local interest please share them with us, as will any subjects that you are able to supply on a regular or periodic basis, they will always add to the interest of the magazine.

I please do ask me to include view points and opinions that could cause offence.

PYP– Parish Youth Page

Hi guys! How well do you know the legends of King Arthur and of Merlin because I’ve heard rumours that they are going to be camping up at Earlswood Hall for the next few months.

Here is a little quiz. You’d better get full marks or you could be in trouble.

1. Is the old name for Merlin a) Myrddin Wyllt, b) Myrddin Emyrs

c) Merlin Ambrosius

2. Was Merlin supposed to have a a) pet owl, b)pet pig, c) a pet rat?

3. Did Arthur have a) a round table, b) a square table or c) a hexagonal table?

4. Was it supposed to seat a) 12 people, b) 52 people or c) 1600 people

5. Was King Arthur’s father a) King Ertha Kitt, b) King Richard the Lionheart or c) King Urthur Pendragon?

6. Was king Arthur’s mother a) Queen Igraine, b) Migraine,

or c) Queen Peebrain?

7. Was King Arthur married to a)the Lady Guinevere, b) the Lady Gwendoline. Or c) the Lady Godiva

8. Was king Arthur’s Court in a) Caerleon, b) Carlisle or c) Camelot?

9. Did King Arthur pull his sword from a) the mud b) the lake c) a stone?

10. One of these knights is an impostor. Which one?

a) Sir Ector, b) Sir Tainlynott c) Sir Beleobus,

Not easy!!! And keep your eyes peeled for knights in shinning armour galloping around Earlswood. (Answers page 28)

See ya.

PYP

1st Shirenewton Guides.

We’ve had a mixed start to the year as the girls seem to have taken it in turn to be away through various bugs doing the rounds, school plays, ski trips and dance shows. We have continued with the planned programme but I can see a catch up session being required at the end of term! Last week was very enjoyable – the Young Leaders planned and led the evening. Patrols were challenged to find coloured cardboard stars hidden in the school grounds and work out anagrammes of what turned out to be constellations. Next was a bin bag fashion challenge – very glamorous if somewhat minimal clothing, followed by a news quiz and a very riotous game of ladders. I note we are celebrating Thinking Day with an International evening after the holiday so I’d better get planning!

On Thinking Day itself (22nd February, the birthdays of both Lord and Lady Baden- Powell) the County are holding a service at St. Mary’s, Usk as a thank you to our old County Commissioner, Cathryn Brooker, who is now Guiding Commissioner for Wales. Our Young Leaders have volunteered to help and so Lucy will be reading and Bethany will carry the World Flag. This is a high profile event with the “great and the good” in attendance (and Leaders are pressing dress uniform as I write!). Well done girls.

Yours in Guiding,

Kestrel - Helen Cann 01291 650835

Brownie Report

Grease lightening

On Tuesday 7th February the 1st Shirenewton Brownies held a Grease Night. Lots of us dressed up in 1950’s style clothes. We all learned how to dance the Mamba – the Young Leaders were our teachers. Then we ate melted Mars Bars with biscuits. It was a really fun night and we’ll never forget it.

Samantha aged 9 and Amber aged 10

Thank you, Young Leaders – Alice, Lucy, Anna and Becky for your continued support and help. Also a BIG thank you to Clare White who organised for a group of the older girls to have a Gym session at the new mini Gym at Chepstow Leisure Centre. The Girls enjoyed trying out the new equipment – particularly those Spin Bikes.

For anyone interested in joining Brownies - we put names down on a waiting list from age 6 -. Girls usually start Brownies at 7 – 10/11years old. Please Contact Jackie Broughton (641797)

Shirenewton Whist Drives

We were pleased to welcome 2 players from Llanishen to our February Drive bringing our numbers to 27 for the evening.

We start at 7.30 p.m. promptly on the 1st Thursday of each month at the Recreation Hall. The next Drive will be on 2nd March. And in April we meet on the 6th. New players (beginners or experienced) are always welcome.

Enquiries to Auriol Horton 01291 641844

Shirenewton Church Website and Shopping Portal

I wonder how many of you have played with Google maps. If you haven't I do recommend it - not only for a directions but out of general interest. You can flick between a standard map interface and satellite images. Type in your postcode to see that we live in a very green part of the country!  Just type maps.google.co.uk into your browser address bar. Use maps. for maps of the USA.

 

No major news on the church website this month. A few stores removed and a few added (standard general turn over). We've had free delivery coupons & 5% off all HP kit coupons on the specials offers page. Keep checking the special offers page for these discount 'e-coupon' codes.

 

Please continue to use the site for your online shopping. A good earner for the church is is the Holiday Extras program which provides discount hotels with parking and discounted parking & lounge access for all UK airports. The discounts offered can be substantial. For example, for 1/2 term week you could save over £58 on parking at Heathrow. So this Easter, when you need airport parking pre-book through Holiday Extras and save yourself some cash and earn the Church some cash. Holiday Extras is on the main shopping portal page (just below Amazon) and in the Travel & Holidays section.

Remember the church website has a lot of community information as well as the shopping portal - please use it

David Cornwell

Webmaster



Stargazing in March

At around 10pm mid-month, the Constellation of Leo the Lion can be see to the South. It is one of the few constellations that looks like its namesake. It commemorates the giant lion that Hercules slaughtered as the first of his labours. Leo is dominated by his head, which looks like a back-to-front question mark. The bright blue-white star Regulus is at the base of the question mark.

The planet Venus is a brilliant Morning Star in the South-East. On the mornings of 25th and 26th March, the crescent Moon shares the dawn twilight with Venus. If all goes well the Venus Express spacecraft should be arriving in the vicinity of the planet this month. The reddish planet Mars is in the evening sky to the West, near the Pleiades star cluster. The First Quarter Moon lies near Mars on the night of 6th / 7th March. Saturn is still prominent in the evening sky. The Moon passes Saturn on the evening of 10 March. The Cassini spacecraft continues to return amazing images of Saturn, its rings and moons. Recent pictures can be found at . Jupiter rises at around 11pm to the South-East. During the night of 18th /19th March, the waning Moon is found near Jupiter.

The Vernal Equinox occurs on 20th March, when day and night are equal, with exactly 12 hours between sunrise and sunset. This is a useful day for getting your bearings right as the sun rises due east and sets due west wherever you may be.

There will be a partial Solar Eclipse at between 10:45 and 11:37am on 29th March, when the Moon will block out a part of the Sun’s disc. If it isn’t cloudy, to look at the eclipse use eclipse glasses in good condition - never look directly at the Sun as this can severely damage the eyes.

Dave Thomas

Earlswood Hall News

Earlswood Hall will be holding the Annual General Meeting on Thursday 6th April at 8.00 p.m.

All members of the community are welcome to attend, and new ideas and suggestions are always sought.

John Spary

The Bells, The Bells…….

The Monmouth Branch of the Llandaff and Monmouth DA of Church Bell Ringers held their Annual Training Day on Saturday 11th of February. This year it was held at the Eastern edge of the Branch at Rumney on the out- skirts of Cardiff.

About 70 ringers are involved in one way or another. The day started with a cup of coffee and theory sessions then we went out to various churches to practice the theory. Lunch was in the church hall at Rumney and consisted of a large array of gigantic pizzas plus some salad and cake for pudding. In the afternoon there was another session for each group in a different tower.

The day finished about 4.00 and by that time every one was tiring from the

effects of the intensity concentration required all day. Shirenewton ringers were there in plenty. Jenny Millar went as a student on the Grandsire Doubles course. Pip Penney was the tutor for the Plain hunt course. Mike Penney, Jane Leney, Bob Millar and Chris Jones all came along as helpers and finished  the day with a very welcome pint of real ale in the

Tredegar Arms in Bassaleg.

We are still looking for a new adult ringer to join the group on Friday

nights for practice and The Tredegar Arms ,Shirenewton for a pint

afterwards.

Pip Penney

01291 650653

St. Peter’s Newchurch

You will be pleased to learn that the initial response to our appeal has given us great encouragement to continue enthusiastically our endeavors to raise the funds to repair our church tower.

 We are holding an evening of poetry and music on Thursday 23rd March at 7p.m. with refreshments. All are welcome and your continued support would be greatly appreciated.

SHIRENEWTON LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY

At our January meeting we started off the year with the annual quiz. Although the questions stretched us to our limits, it was a very enjoyable evening with all teams doing well. Time seemed to fly by and before we knew it, it was 10pm when the door was unlocked and we were allowed to go home!

Thanks to Jessica King for preparing the quiz, asking the questions and adjudicating.

Dorothy Brabon has been holding Resources Sessions at the Recreation Hall which have been well attended and will continue through the year.

We have recently launched our web site so you can now find out all about us and view this year’s programme by logging on to shirenewton-history.co.uk.

Our meetings for the coming months are: -

Tuesday 28th February: -

Wentwood Reservoir by Peter Strong at 7.30pm, Huntsman Hotel.

Tuesday 14th March: -

Resources Session with Dorothy Brabon 7.00pm, Recreation Hall.

Tuesday 28th March: -

Faerie Lore in C18th Monmouthshire by Frank Olding at 7.30pm Huntsman Hotel.

It’s Back! BY Popular Demand for One evening Only!

THE ALL NEW REVUE!

Were you there for the first revue evening? You must want to be there for the next one!

Saturday 13 May at Earlswood Hall

An evening of songs, sketches and recitations for the grown ups only. Sorry, this is not for the young ones.

Supper will be provided; no drinks license so bring your own tipple.

Tickets will be on sale in April so watch the next edition of the Parish Mag for details.

The number of tickets will be limited and pre-bookable – no sales on the door.

All proceeds will go to the refurbishment of the Recreation Hall

2004 was great. 2006 will be even better.

Contact Tony & Sylvia Bendall (641303)

Stu & Pauline Dutton (641677)

(If you would like to take part and show off your talent get in touch. We would love to hear from you.)

St Davids

St Davids

Page for choral society

Martin Singers Page

Itton Village Hall –‘The Night Out Scheme’

Friday 17th March 7.30pm

A return of Alison Neil with her performance of:

‘The Shakespeare Ladies’ Club’

(Tales of Georgian London)

After her delightful performance last year of ‘The Just William Lady’ portraying the life of Richmael Crompton, the Itton Village Hall committee are pleased to welcome back this talented performer for what promises to be a highly entertaining evening.

Tickets at the door £5.00 Adults. £3.50 students.

Refreshments. Raffle. Ample parking. Disabled facilities.

Supported by the Arts Council for Wales

Mr. Richard Coates M.C.S.P., H.P.C. Reg.

Chartered Physiotherapist

Approved by major insurance companies

Tel: 01291 423101/07950 948734



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Fitness Page

New Full Page Ad.

Up the Critique without a Paddle

 

As a result of over excitement, serious exertions and a touch of the vapors resulting from the last two months efforts, our critic Ms. Gay Abandon has found it necessary to take a short holiday.

Answers to Pyp’s Quiz.

1 Merlin is part of the old British storytelling traditions and all three names have been used. So which ever you chose, you’re right.

2 According to legend, Merlin was supposed to have lived wild in the woods with b) a pet pig.

3 Well if you didn’t get this one, you wanna get out more. It is of course, a) a round table.

4 I know, I can hardly believe it myself. It’s c) 1600. That is some table. I wouldn’t fancy ironing the tablecloth.

5) Arthur’s dad was c) king Arthur Pendragon. There was a bit of hanky panky.

6) Arthur’s ma was a) Queen Igraine. She was married to someone else at the time.

7) King Arthur married a) the Lady Guinevere. Later on she had a bit of a fling with Sir Lancelot.

8) No one knows. King Arthur’s Court has been said to have been in all three. And many more besides!

9) King Arthur pulled his sword from the stone but Excalibur he got from the lady of the lake. And I expect he would have dropped his weapons in the mud occasionally so….

10) Sir Tainlynott was Cer-tainly not one of King Arthur’s knights

A few more Bloopers

Scouts are saving aluminium cans, bottles and other items to be recycled.

Proceeds will be used to cripple children.

Attend and you will hear an excellent speaker and heave a healthy lunch.

The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and

gracious hostility.

Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.

The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be

seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.

|[pic] | |

| |Need an Electrician |

|Friendly and professional service |

|By qualified local tradesmen with over |

|Twenty years experience. |

| |

|For anything from an extra socket to a full rewire phone |

|Mark Baldwin Electrical |

|641296 or 07791 771691 (mobile) |

|Fully Insured |

Job Wanted !!!!!

Want to go on holiday but don’t know who will feed the cat? Away for the weekend but who will let the dog out? Want someone to water the plants or look after the goldfish?

Well then, I am the person to ring. Alistair Bounds on 641 818 or contact my mum Glynis MacDonald who will tell me. I am 16 years old and am willing to do a variety of jobs for a sensible fee. I can provide reference from happy customers.

Gardening Corner

By the time you read this February will be a distant memory and the back of yet another winter will have been broken. Yes we might well still get some cold weather or even snow, but I’m always happy in the knowledge that if we do get either now, that it will never be as penetrating or last as long. In general it has turned out to be a pretty standard sort of British winter with cold bits, mild bits and some wet bits as well as a little of the white stuff. No doubt Ernie Jones’ records will show that January was one of the driest on record, but then that seems to be the trend of our weather these days – eternally unpredictable!

I have to admit that in the garden February has turned out to be a very quiet month for both the head and under gardener, despite many valiant attempts to get the staff interested and outside working! On the odd fine day when the soil has been dry enough we have managed to start a little bit of cutting down and weeding. This is followed by a little light cultivation with a small border fork to lift the soil and let a bit of air into it. The final operation is a nice dressing of old manure on the top to give the soil a bit of goodness and help retain moisture. This will be the main area of work over the coming months as conditions allow. Initial signs are encouraging as it looks as thought the vast majority of plants have come through the winter. There are always some losses but then this allows you to try something new so each loss is another opportunity! The under gardener will no doubt turn her nose up at this as every opportunity means another visit to a garden nursery or plant sale. Still, we all have our vices!

I have managed to prune the majority of shrubby species (or at least those that needed it) during the winter months. There are a few that I’m still scratching my head over and still can’t decide what to do. I’m not talking pruning here but wholesale destruction. When the garden was first started I planted two of the New Zealand flax – the bronzy coloured ones. These have thrived and have actually flowered – once! This will be the sixteenth year that they have been in the ground (not bad value for £2.50 each) and they are now enormous. The one can probably stay where it is for another couple of years, but I think that the one in what we call the cottage garden must now go to its maker. The only thing that is putting me off is the thought of how on earth I get it out of the ground. The easiest way would be to put a hand winch around its base and pull the whole thing out lock stock and two smoking barrels. Unfortunately this needs a good stout tree or similar to attach the winch to in a convenient place and unfortunately, as usual, there isn’t one in the right place! So I either pluck up the courage to cut the top off with a chainsaw and then try and dig it out, or leave it a bit longer. Decisions, decisions. It does dominate this part of the garden though so I think that I may have to just knuckle under and “go for it”. Of course this would leave me with the issue of having to fill up quite a large hole, that would probably mean a trip to several nurseries, so I guess there is a silver lining to every cloud – right where’s that chainsaw. In addition to this there is a witch hazel, that has never flowered and a cork screw hazel that is as straight as a die so a warm days work ahead,

In the vegetable garden we are still pulling the last of the leeks and picking the last of the sprouts. The relatively kind weather has meant that these have both stayed firm and rot free over the winter months, so most will find their way into the kitchen. There is quite a bit of work to do on the raised beds in order to get them ready for another season. The one that was planted in the autumn with both onions and garlic just requires a light weeding. The actual take of these has been varied with most of the garlic showing green growth, but many of the onions have failed to show. There will still be enough for our needs at the end of the day as these over-wintered onions do not keep well. What I may need to do though is buy a few more “traditional” sets that will be planted in March to help fill the gap in the kitchen. I am waiting for the delivery of some F1 asparagus crowns. These are due to go into a bed that was planted last year but unfortunately all but failed. Hopefully as these haven’t got to face the rigors of a full winter they will establish well with few problems. Time will tell. I know the secret of successful asparagus growing is constant weeding and a rich soil so watch this space. Unfortunately the slugs managed to get into the early potatoes and I never did finish digging these out of the ground. I may leave whatever is still there to provide this years’ crop as many will have over-wintered. The only problem will be the slugs though but I thought that I might try the microscopic worms that you water onto the soil this year to see how successful they are. This is one of the benefits of growing in dedicated areas such as this in that you can direct action straight at the problem.

I am also deliberating whether to add a little more height to the sides of the beds. The ground here at Barn Farm is all “on the slope” and the beds were constructed using treated timbers two inches thick by six inches wide. With several years worth of digging and manuring the soil level has risen a little and I often have problems with it falling over the sides and on to the paths. I can raise the sides by nailing more treated timber to the tops. This will prevent the soil falling over the sides and allow me to put more manure on the beds that need it.

The fruit garden is almost ready for another season although I still need to purchase a couple of rolls of rabbit netting to put on the fruit cage in an effort to slow down the grey squirrels that continue to be an out and out pest. The other main job that needs to be done before we get into the main growing season is to build new timber door frames for the tunnel and then recover it with its plastic cover. The frames I need to get on with now, but the covering will have to wait until at least March and probably April when the weather will hopefully be warm enough to heat up the plastic and allow it to be stretched tight, which is the major requirement.

In the greenhouse things are just about to kick off and this is where the main efforts will be directed over the coming few weeks. The hot bench in the propagating house will be turned on this week and the first seeds will be going in. Initially this will concentrate on the many flower seeds that we collected from the garden at the end of last season. This will be followed by a number of new varieties that have been purchased from seed suppliers. The first vegetable seeds will also be going in. This will concentrate on broad beans initially, with lettuce, tomatoes and melons following shortly afterwards. The main thrust for vegetable seed sowing will be in the early part of next month and this will continue with several successional sowings over the following weeks. This is really the art of good vegetable growing – getting a steady stream of produce rather than endless gluts and famines! It takes some doing but very satisfying when you get it right. It can take quite a bit of your time, but the rewards of fresh produce cannot be beaten.

This will probably be the first year for at least ten that we haven’t got a major project to be getting on with before we open the garden for the first time at the end of May. There is still a bit of rustic pathway to erect, but the timbers are in the tunnel where they have been treated, and the woodchips are on the drive waiting to be barrowed away for the walking surface. Time is what we need, one resource that there is never enough of, but as usual no doubt it will all get done in the end! If only I can get that under gardener outside! Time to start searching.

Happy gardening until next month.

Steve Hunt.

Some Dates for your Diary

2nd March Whist Drive Recreation Hall 7.30 p.m.

8th March Mothers Union Meetings resume see report.

10th March Chepstow Male Voice Choir Concert – St. Thomas A Becket Church Shirenewton 7.30

12th March St David’s Foundation Sponsored Walk (see details)

14th March History Soc. Resource Session – Rec. Hall from 7 p.m

17th March Shakespeare Ladies Club – Itton Hall (see advert)

17th March Martin Singers & Friends Concert – St Mary’s Abergavenny.

20th March Neighbourhood Watch Meeting –Huntsman Hotel 7.30 p.m.

23rd March Evening of music and poetry – St. Peter’s – Newchurch.

26th March Mothering Sunday

28th March History Society Meeting at the Huntsman Hotel – 7.30 p.m.

29th March Partial eclipse of the sun – see “Stargazing” notes.

1st April. Chepstow Choral Society Concert – St Mary’s Chepstow

6th April Earlswood Hall AGM - 8 p.m. Earlswood Hall

6th April Whist Drive Recreation Hall 7.30 p.m.

15th May “The All New Revue” Earlswood Hall – See details

To advertise in the Parish magazine rates are:

½ page for the year 10 issues, £25.

Small block advert – 4-5 lines: - 10 issues £5.00

One off local charities – no charge

Readers and Sides-persons Rota for March 2006

Date Service reader Sides person

5th March 1st Sunday of Lent James Leney Claire Lewis

9.45 a.m. Holy Eucharist John Nicholas John Nicholas

12th March 2nd Sunday of Lent A. Horton A. Horton

9.45 a.m. Holy Eucharist A. Bounds A. Bounds

19th March 3rd Sunday of Lent Sally Saysell B. Bowen

9.45 a.m. Holy Eucharist Ruth Savagar C. Smith

26th March 4th Sunday of Lent Jane Smith-Haddon

Mothering Sunday and The Sunday Club

9.45 a.m. Family Service

2nd April 5th Sunday of Lent B. Davies B. Davies

9.45 a.m. Holy Eucharist K. Bounds K. Bounds

Newchurch Every Sunday at 2.30 p.m.

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Please send notes, discs or emails for the magazine to Bob O’Keefe, 15 Newton Manor, Shirenewton, (641686) or email to bobandwenche @ by Monday 20th March for inclusion in the April Magazine.

NFU Ad

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Cookery Corner

Pork Chop Casserole for four.

You will need:

1oz butter 2 teasp oil

¼ lb button onions peeled 4 pork chops

½ lb tomatoes quartered 2 sticks of celery washed and cut into 1” lengths.

2 dessert apples cored & sliced ¼ lb button mushrooms washed &skinned

¾ oz plain flour 1 chicken stock cube dissolved in ¾ pint of boiling water.

4 tbsp. still cider 1teasp thyme

salt, freshly ground black pepper, chopped parsley

Melt the butter and heat with the oil. Sauté the onions for 2 -3 minutes until pale golden colour. Add the pork chops and sauté until golden. Mix the remaining vegetables and apple slices and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the flour, stock and cider, seasoning with thyme salt and pepper. Transfer to a casserole dish cover and cook in the oven gas mark 5 / 190 deg. C for 45 minutes. Garnish with parsley. This recipe can also be used with veal chops.

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